Experience the glorious Tuscan countryside en route to Florence, where your two-day stay includes the Uffizi Gallery and a private tour of the Vasari Corridor. Ample free time is included for shopping and independent sightseeing.

A Profile of Your Hotel

Noted for its attentive and discreet service, Hotel Baglioni offers a breathtaking view over many of the landmarks and sights that give Florence its reputation for beauty and grace. The hotel is ideally situated in the heart of the historic centre. Inside, the ambience is embellished by a collection of frescos, paintings, statues and a photo exhibit which uses old and contemporary images to tell one hundred years of Florence’s history.

Monday, September 29 Portovenere to Florence

Drive directly from the pier in Portovenere through the Tuscan countryside to Florence, about 2½ hours away.

Once in Florence, join your local guide for a walking tour of this Renaissance gem. Over the course of the next three hours, you will become acquainted with many of Florence’s attractions. Cross the Arno at Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge in Florence to escape destruction by the Nazis during WWII. Admire the magnificence of Piazza della Signoria, filled with statues by Cellini, Giambologna, Ammannati—even a copy of Michelangelo’s David.

Visit Palazzo Vecchio, now home to the municipal government. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, master architect of many of Florence’s notable structures, the palace was occupied by Cosimo I for a number of years before the Medici family moved to the even grander Pitti Palace. Your guide will no doubt fill you in on the story of the frescoes by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo that should grace the walls of the vast Sala dei Cinquecento, the assembly room used during days of the Florentine Republic. Cross through Piazza della Republica, the very centre of the city in Roman times.

Walk on to Piazza del Duomo to admire the exterior of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Many consider the outside far more magnificent, with its distinctive pink, green and white Tuscan marble façade; the Baptistery with its glorious Ghiberti doors; Giotto’s bell tower and the emblematic dome by Brunelleschi. You will also have the opportunity to explore the cathedral’s interior (Giotto’s bell tower and Baptistery on your own during free time).

Finally, head over to the Grand Hotel Baglioni for check-in; your luggage will have already been placed in your room. The balance of the afternoon and evening have been left free—shop for bargains at the flea market at Piazza San Lorenzo or head for the designer shops around Via de’ Tornabuoni, perhaps catch an evening concert. Dinner? The possibilities are indeed endless—check with your guide or the concierge for personalized assistance.

Tuesday, September 30 Florence to Portovenere

Enjoy the hotel’s breakfast buffet this morning before meeting your guide for a visit to the celebrated Uffizi Gallery. Its collection of Primitive and Renaissance paintings comprises several universally acclaimed masterpieces, including works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. German, Dutch and Flemish masters are also well represented with important works by Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens.

The Uffizi Gallery occupies the top floor of the large building erected by Giorgio Vasari between 1560 and 1580 to house the administrative offices of the Tuscan State. Following the construction of the Uffizi, Cosimo I commissioned the Vasari (secret) corridor to connect the political centre of the city with Palazzo Pitti, the new grand-ducal residence on the other side of the Arno. The Vasari Corridor is a raised passageway approx. 1 km (.62 miles) filled with a precious collection of over 1000 paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The corridor’s round windows overlook the Ponte Vecchio and the city beyond. A highlight is the fascinating collection of self-portraits by Andrea del Sarto, Beccafumi, Bernini, Annibale Carracci, Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa, Rubens, Canova, Hayez, Corot, Ingres, Delacroix, Ensor and many other masters. Enjoy a private tour of the corridor and its treasures, open by special appointment only.

Your walk ends at Piazza della Signoria at midday, after which you have nearly five hours of free time to spend as you choose. Meet at the appointed time and place for the return drive to Portovenere, putting you back aboard The World approximately 19:15hrs.

NOTE: Modest clothing is required to visit the churches—no shorts or bare shoulders, please.

PRICE:

$ 1,170 13-19 participants

$ 1,270 10-12 participants

$ 1,700 06-09 participants

$ 120 single supplement

Walking Info: This overnight tour has been created with flexibility in mind. Therefore it is not possible to use the usual rating system. Please check with the on board tour team if you have specific queries.

A minimum requirement is needed to operate the above overland tour. Although all itineraries described in the brochure are expected to be operated as shown, residenSea reserves the right to adjust, alter, or substitute hotels of similar quality when necessary or cancel itineraries to meet local conditions for the convenience and safety of the participants.

Prices include meals and refreshments as indicated in the tour description, plus guides and entrance fees unless otherwise stated. Prices do not include foods and beverages not specified in the tour description or any expense incurred, should you elect to leave the tour before it is completed. Gratuities for guides and drivers are at your discretion.

Please see the onboard Tour Specialists for specific details (e.g., schedule details, menus, cancellation penalties, deposit requirements, if applicable). This information will also be announced during the tour briefing.

Important Tour Booking Note: Please notify the Tour Office by Friday, August 29, 2008 if you are interested in participating in the tour listed above as it must be booked in advance.